Milk-bottle decapper



Jan. 31, 1928.

G. A. BERG MILK BOTTLE DECAPPER Filed May 18, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l I NV EN TOR A TTORNE Y.

Jan. 31, 1928.

G. A. BERG MILK BOTTLE DECAPPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 18. 1925gasfa/ Z. fiery, INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented .Ian. 31, 1928.

UNITED STATES GUS'IAF A. BERG, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

MILK-BOTTLE DEGAPPER.

Application fled May 18, 1925. Serial No. 31,122.

The present invention relates to method and means for pulling thestoppers from filled milk bottles to retrieve the contents thereof, andpertains more particularly to improvements in the machine set forth inthe co-pending application of Berg and Howard, Serial No. 724,615, filedJuly 7, 1924.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a simple andeffective stopper pulling and bottle draining unit which is manuallyoperable and such as may be grouped in multiples to provide machines ofany desired capacity.

Another object of the invention is to provide more efiective means forengaging and pulling a paper stopper from an inverted milk bottle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple machine of theabove described character which may be sold at a lower price to meet thedemand for same in small dairies I In the machine set forth in the abovementioned application of Berg and Howard, the capacity is one completecase of bottles, whereas in many small dairies the total of returnedmilk bottles required to be emptied is so small comparatively as not towarrant the installation of such a machine. In the said machine a barbedspear is employed which upon being retracted withdraws the stopper withit. The force required to pull a stopper directly outward is such thatoccasionally a spear may tear through the paper without removing thestopper from the bottle. In a hand operated machine the said requiredforce is objectionable, and it is therefore another object of theinvention to provide means whereby less effort is required and wherebytendency of a s ear head to pull through a stopper, wit out retractingit, is practically eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a manually operatedmachine in which a single hand operation will serve to retract astopper; whereas in the machine of Ber and Howard above mentioned, onestro e of the machine forces the spear through the stopper while anothermotion is required to retract the stopper.

Still another object of the invention is to rovide a machine which canbe taken apart hurriedly so that all parts may be separately sterilized.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved spear whichwill function easily and efficiently so that the minimum of energy isrequired to empty a bottle.

Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will appearhereinafter and W111 be better understood because of the order in whichthey appear.

I have illustrated by the accompanying drawings a preferred embodimentof my invention and a modification thereof.

In the said drawings Figure 1 is a view mainly in vertical section of apart of said embodiment; said part being hereinafter known as a unit andcomprising all the parts necessary to unstopper and drain a singlebottle at one time.

Figure 2 is a plan View of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

F1gure 3 is a vertical section, full scale, of the principal parts ofthe unit shown in Figs. 1 and 2; the view being taken on a line at rightangle to that on which Fig. 1 1s seen and showing the parts in operationjust before the stopper is withdrawn.

Figure 4 is an analogous view showing the parts in operative positionjust after a stopper has been withdrawn.

Figure 5 is a view mainly in elevation of a complete machine embodyingseveral units.

Figure 6 is a plan view thereof.

Figure 7 is a plan view of a modified form of machine of lessercapacity.

More specifically, in carrying out the invention in any usual embodimentthere is provided a base 10, which is of such character as to hold therespective parts about to be described, while being of such nature thatthe fluid falling thereon will readily drain therefrom. In thisembodiment said base is accordingly provided with a plurality ofopenings or perforations 11, so that stoppers, such as 12, will beretained while the contents of the bottle may drain throu h; the act ofholding the stoppers so that tiey are washed by the flowing milk beingin conformance with the invention claimed in the said co-pendingapplication. In the present invention it will be seen that still furtherprovision is made for washing the stoppers.

A complete unit 1 also includes a pair of spaced studs 14., a centralspear 15, and a bottle holding frame 16. The frame includes abell-mouthed portion 17 adapted to receive the lip 18 of a milk bottle19. In

tegral with said portion a plurality of substantially vertical arms areprovided connecting with the upper bottle retaining ring 21. It will beseen that a bottle will become substantially centered in the holder andwill be held loosely but permanently in upright position so that it maybe drained of its entire contents.

The bottle holder includes two integral lugs 22, and from each lug asleeve 23 depends. The higs and sleeves are arranged so that they areslidable over respectlve studs. Springs 24, one for each sleeve, areplaced between the base and the lug, encompassing the sleeve and stud.Thus the bottle holder is resiliently held above the spear, but isdepressible to bring the lip or stopper of a closed bottle below thehead 25 of the spear, When a bottle is placed in the holder anddepressed, the springs are compressed, and thus energy is stored up toreturn the bottle to original position with sufiicient force toaccomplish the required results, as will be more clearly pointed outhereinafter.

One of the salient features of the invention resides inthe spear. Thehead of the spear may be of any suitable design, but preferably it is soarranged that while it will penetrate the stopper, it will offersufficient engagement with the stopper that an ap reciable effort isrequired to withdraw it rom the stopper, although it will be apparenthereinafter that such engagement is not depended upon, except 1n part,to pull the stopper out of the bottle.

Below the head of the spear, and to one side of the center thereof,there is provided a heel 26. Said heel is so arranged that it isnon-coaxial of the bottle holder. The heel may be of any suitableconstruction, but for convenience it is an integral part of the spear.Its sole purpose is to poke the stopper into the bottle in substantlallythe manner depicted in Fig. 2, so that the edges of the stopper breakeni gement with the surface of the bottle nec Obviously, when a stopperis in a position shown in Fig. 3 it is more easily withdrawn, verticallydownward, than would be the case of a stopper in the position in whichit is shown in Fig. 1.

The bottle holder is provided with a stripper plate 31, having spacedtongues 32, arranged one to either side of the center so that when theholder is depressed the spear head may pass between the said spacedtongues.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, in conjunction with Figs. 1, 2. 3, and 4,the base, a part of which is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is a circularperforated member surrounded b an upwardly ranging flange 33, Sai baseis shown as provided with a plurality of the units 1, arranged in anannular series. A

non-perforated receptacle 34 is provided in which the base is adapted torevolve; said base in this case forming a revoluble )erforated falsebottom for the receptacle. Ihe receptacle is in the form of a large milkpan and is supported b a standard 3."). The standard is provide with anut 36, having an integral flange 37 on which the receptacle rests. Acylindrical cap or bearing member 38 screws on to the standard above thepan and coacts with the flan ed nut to hold the pan in fluid tightassembly on said standard. The pan is provided with a drain 39 wherebmilk may flow from it into a milk can, sue l as 40.

The base includes an integral inverted cup 41 at the center, fittingover the bearing and revolving freely thereon. It will be seen now thatthe entire assembly of units, together with the base, may be revolvedfreely in the pan.

The operation of the parts will now be described, the operation of asingle unit being first to be considered, and subsequently the operationof the complete embodiment shown in Fig. 5. To empty a bottle it isplaced in the holder in which it becomes automatically centered withsufiicient accuracy. By pressing down on the bottom of the bottle thebottle holder is depressed and the springs are compressed.

The act of placing a bottle in the holder and depressing same is alldone in a single stroke. The bottle holder must be depressed to aboutthe position shown in Fig. 3. As a result of such movement of the bottlerelative to the spear, the latter is caused to penetrate the stopper,and the heel is caused to push the stopper in the oblique position shownin Fig, 3. It is a well known fact that when a bottle stopper is forcedinwardly by a blunt object, such as the heel, applied to one side of thecenter, the engagement between the bottle and the stopper is quiteefl'ectively broken; in fact in some instances the outrush of milk 'willcause the stopper to be carried out of the bottle. However, even morefrequently the stopper becomes slightly wedged in the position shown.

It is found, however, that the effort required to withdraw the stopperfrom the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3, is only a fractionalpart, of the energy required to withdraw the stopper from the positionin which it is shown in Fig. 1. Any normal friction between the spearand stopper will usually sufiice to withdraw the stopper after it hasbeen dislodged by the heel, but as an added assurance of efficientoperation the spear is barbed as shown, or otherwise suitably shaped, sothat it will quite positively engage the stopper.

Immediately the bottle is depressed it is released. The springs then actto return the lud bottle holder to almost normal elevation. Inraisingthe bottle, the relative retrograde movement of spear to bottlecauses the stopper to be pulled from the neck of the bottle. The actionof the stripper plate is to allow the spear head to pass whileintercepting the stopper. Thus the stopper is stripped off and falls onto the perforated base.

Considering the operation of the machine as a whole, a bottle is placedin the holder and same is depressed and subsequently released, whereuponthe stopper is removed as described, and the bottle is free to drain.The base is then turned a partial revolution to the right or left and asecond bottle is placed in the next holder. The second bottle isaccordingly unstoppered. One after another the bottles are inserted andunstoppered by succeeding units until the base has been turned acomplete revolution. The more units contained on a base the longer itwill take before the first bottle is reached. \Vhen the completerevolution is effected the first bottle will be found to be quite welldrained. As the stoppers are stripped from the spears they fall on thebase and are washed by the flow of milk draining from the bottles. Asthe base is turned there is a slight washing action of the base andstoppers through the milk and further agitation and rearrangement of thefallen stoppers is effected.

The machine is operable continuously, one drained bottle being removedand a filled bottle being placed in each successive unit as long as themachine is in use.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 7, the base is in the form ofa large ring having a central large aperture 44. Said ring will hold afew of the units, but in the case of a few units, where one is asreadily reached as another, the base need not be revoluble. In theembodiment now being described, the base is not revoluble, but fitsremovably in a common dairy type of milk strainer 45, having a finemeshed sieve bottom 46. Such strainers are adapted to fit over a largemilk can of the type shown in Fig. 5. In the operation of this form, allthe holders are filled and operated successively, and by the time thelast bottle holder 1s used the bottle in the first one may be withdrawn.

In carrying out the invention the bases may be made either stationary orrevoluble, as described, or any other suitable arrangement may beemployed for progressively moving successive units away from theoperator of the machine while simultaneously bringing the emptiedbottles back to him; such arrangements including traveling conveyor'sand the like. The machines may of course be employed in conjunction withprogressive bottle steaming, bottle washing and like apparatus, andwhile I have shown and described a specific embodiment of myinvention, Ido not limit myself to any specific construction or arrangement ofparts, and I may alter the construction and use other arrangements ofparts as I desire without enlarging the scope of my invention within theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a holder for holding a bottle ininverted position, a fixed spear below said holder and alignedtherewith, and a fixed stripper carried by said holder and alignedwitli'said spear; said holder being depressible.

2. In a device of the class described, a

holder for holding a bottle in inverted position, a fixed spear belowsaid holderand aligned therewith, a fixed stripper carried by saidholder and aligned with said spear; said holder being depressible, and aspring to said depressible bottle holder to urge same upwardly fromdepressed position.

' 3. In a device of the class described, a holder for holding a bottlein inverted position, a fixed spear below said holder and alignedtherewith, a fixed stripper carried by said holder and aligned with saidspear; said holder being depressible, and a blunt instrument fixed withregard to said spear and disposed to one side thereof whereby upondepression of said holder a stopper of a bottle carried by said holderwill be abutted by said instrument after the spear has penetrated saidstop er.

4. In' a device 0 the class described, a perforated base and a pluralityof bottle decapping units carried by said perforated base; each unitcomprising a holder for holding a bottle in inverted position, a fixedspear below said holder and aligned therewith, and a fixed strippercarried by said holder and aligned with said spear; said holder beingdepressible.

5. In a device of the class described, a perforated base and a pluralityof bottle decapping units carried by said perforated base; each unitcomprising a holder for holding a bottle in inverted position, a fixedspear below said holder and aligned therewith, a fixed stripper carriedby said holder and aligned with said spear; said holder beingdepressible, and a spring to said depressible bottle holder to urge sameupwardly from depressed position.

6. In a device of the class described, a perforated base and a.plurality of bottle decappin units carried by said perforated base; eacunit comprising a holder for holding a bottle in inverted position, afixed spear below said holder and aligned therewith, a fixed strippercarried by said holder and aligned with said spear; said holder beingdepressible, and a blunt instrument fixed with regard to said s ear anddisposed to one side thereof where y upon depression of said holder astopper of a bottle carried by said holder will be abutted by saidinstrument after the spear has penetrated said stopper.

7. The device as in claim 4 and including a standard; said perforatedbase being revolubly mounted on said standard.

8. The device as in claim 5 and including a standard; said perforatedbase being revolubly mounted on said standard.

9. The device as in claim 6 and including a standard; said perforatedbase being revolubly mounted on said standard.

10. In a bottle decapping unit for machines of the class described, abottle holder to retain a bottle in inverted position; said bottleholder having an upper open end for receipt of a bottle and a loweropening through which a stopper for such bottle may be retracteddownwardly, a base plate; said bottle holder depressible relative tosaid base,

means for guiding said depressible bottle holder, spring means to urgesaid holder from depressed position to normal position,

and a spear carried by said base and disposed to ass relatively throughthe lower opening 0' said base when said holder is depressed.

11. The unit as in claim 10 and further including a spear stripper fixedto said holder adjacent to and below the center of said lower opening ofsaid bottle holder.

12. In a device of the class described, a receptacle, a traveling memberin said receptacle, a plurality of bottle decapping units fixed to saidmember; each unit including a bottle holder arranged to hold a bottle ininverted position, and further including means for withdrawing a stopperfrom such bottle while same is within the holder.

GUSTAF A. BERG.

